Surround Sound Yaris

[seriousfun]

I just upgraded my system so I can play SA-CD, DVD-V/A (Dolby Digital and DTS), and CD/Radio/Aux (Dolby Pro Logic II) in surround.

The Sony MEX-DV2000 is the first aftermarket head unit that does all this (I wish it did DVD-A at high resolution - MLP - but all DVD-A discs have either a DTS or DD track as well). I may add amps for more power in the future, but for now it seems a little beefier than the stock HU.


http://www.xplodsony.com/video/av_centers/MEX-DV2000

I replaced the stock front door speakers with MB Quart QSC-216s. I had the component tweeters mounted on the doors up near the side mirrors. I may add another pair of these for the rears at some point.


http://www.mbquart.de/en/produkte/ca...php?nr=qsc_216

I already had a Kenwood KSC-SW1 from my first, totalled, Yaris. It mounted easily under the passenger seat.


http://www.kenwoodusa.com/products/L...k3=158&pr=2024

Someday, I might post pics of tweeter location, subwoofer location, HU install (I have my Scanguage II stuck underneath it).

A local installer put this in for about $230, and it took about four hours. He didn't quite get the surround aspects of the system, so I am still setting the crossovers (built in to the Sony), speaker distance and level calibration, etc.

I don't have a video screen, but I may get one before a long trip next month. $100-150 will get me a small screen that I can tuck into the passenger-side glove compartment, to access DVD-A menus, watch movies, etc.

The sound is spacious and dynamic, and works well with any kind of music. SA-CD and DVD-A have not taken over the world, but there are a lot of titles out there, and more being made. A car can be an ideal environment for surround, since you can calibrate the system for an audience that can't move around too much by definition.

[BlueLiftback]

I did the same thing only with the JVC KD-AVX2 instead as my headunit and the cheaper RCE series Quart's up front.

After a few months I found myself disgusted with the Kenwood sub's inability to reproduce low notes without the awful sub "pop" most small enclosures feature. It was nice in that it fit under the seat, but that's about all the positives I have to say about it.

One Basslink II later and the problem's solved...

I am curious, do you really think the rear speakers make that much of a difference in our surround setups? I'm leaning more towards an Alpine PDX amp for the fronts, maybe even a 4 channel so I can bridge in a center channel (I have one, but found out after I got it that my RCA out's won't power it haha).

I have heard the rears are the LEAST important aspect of our surround set-ups.

Any insight from the car-sound gurus?

BTW... DVD-A rocks in all it's glory

You're missing out!

[seriousfun]

I looked at the JVC, but it was twice as much as the new Sony. I can add a larger screen for about $100. I gave up true DVD-A for SA-CD.

I calibrated the system so the Kenwood doesn't bottom out, but yes, it's not much of a subwoofer. It does extend the bass somewhat, even compared to the MBQs, and the crossover in the HU helps integrate it with the main speakers. I can't afford to lose a square inch of space, so I'm sticking with it (I might add a second, somewhere else).

Of course, all surround mixes specify five full-range channels (as all two-channel stereo mixes for CD specify two full-range channels). Even a 6.5" speaker won't go down to 20 Hz (full-range is 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz), and integrating a subwoofer will extend that. Many surround mixes place sounds in the rear that are very discreet and should be played on the same speaker as the front; even a classical recording that only has hall reverb in the rears will sound better with the same speakers in the rear.

Now that I have very good speakers in the front, and I spent a little time calibrating the system today, I can hear just how crappy the stock Toy speakers are!

I have two other surround systems at home, to listen to DVD-A, so I figured that this would be one compromise I could make. At least I can listen to either SA-CD or DVD-A in surround. The Beatles Love is up next!

If the electronics manufacturers, especially Sony, wanted a higher-resolution format like SA-CD or DVD-A to succeed, they would have come out with a universal in-dash unit ten years ago.

[brickhardmeat]

This is like that MTV show.

[seriousfun]

Originally Posted by brickhardmeat

This is like that MTV show.

Nah

I don't have a JDM spoiler, intake, coilovers

[earljail]

Originally Posted by seriousfun

I just upgraded my system so I can play SA-CD, DVD-V/A (Dolby Digital and DTS), and CD/Radio/Aux (Dolby Pro Logic II) in surround.

Nice! You need a centre channel speaker next.

[Nigal]

The first SACD I bought was Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon. Unbelievable sound!

[seriousfun]

Originally Posted by Nigal

The first SACD I bought was Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon. Unbelievable sound!

And the biggest selling SA-CD ever. It sold mostly because it was the 30th anniversary remastered version of DSOTM, but those of us who have surround setups can listen to this the way it was meant to be heard. I work in audio and provided a tiny bit of technical support to the surround mix. I also have a DVD-A of Alan Parson's original Quad mix of DSOTM - it is different than the James Guthrie 5.1 mix, but better in some ways (haven't listened to this with DTS in the car yet).

[seriousfun]

Originally Posted by earljail

Nice! You need a centre channel speaker next.

But where in a Yaris LB?

Is there room under the dash for a 6.5" mid, with the tweeter mounted right above the guages? Should I get the Alpine SBS-05DC that fits under the Sony head unit (it won't match the timbre, frequency response, or dynamic response of the MBQs)? The Eclipe unit that clips to the back of the rear view mirror (I can't imagine it would sound great)?

I work in audio, I've been designing surround systems for twenty years, including music and post-production, and I know where the compromises are in my current car system. The Sony has a Center Speaker Organizer mode that makes a phantom center channel by mixing the Center content in the Right and Left speakers and uses some sort of voodoo DSP to steer that image so it favors the driver's seating position or others. So far, it sounds pretty good, but again, I haven't finished calibrating the system yet.

[nsmitchell]

Originally Posted by seriousfun

But where in a Yaris LB?

Is there room under the dash for a 6.5" mid, with the tweeter mounted right above the guages? Should I get the Alpine SBS-05DC that fits under the Sony head unit (it won't match the timbre, frequency response, or dynamic response of the MBQs)? The Eclipe unit that clips to the back of the rear view mirror (I can't imagine it would sound great)?

I work in audio, I've been designing surround systems for twenty years, including music and post-production, and I know where the compromises are in my current car system. The Sony has a Center Speaker Organizer mode that makes a phantom center channel by mixing the Center content in the Right and Left speakers and uses some sort of voodoo DSP to steer that image so it favors the driver's seating position or others. So far, it sounds pretty good, but again, I haven't finished calibrating the system yet.

How about just in front of the speedometer. A surface mount tweeter or a shallow mid/tweeter. It will point straight up, but it could use the speedo clear plastic cover to reflect. Maybe even on top of the center display facing the windshield for reflection.

[earljail]

Originally Posted by nsmitchell

How about just in front of the speedometer. A surface mount tweeter or a shallow mid/tweeter. It will point straight up, but it could use the speedo clear plastic cover to reflect. Maybe even on top of the center display facing the windshield for reflection.

Yeah, you could fit a 3.5" or 4" coax there. There is at least 2" of clearance under that panel. If you could angle it a bit that would be perfect. Or you could do what I did: